Sat, Nov 8 2014 - Mono Cliffs Provincial Park + Pub Lunch (16km, 4.5 km/h) (View Original Event Details)
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On a cool morning and a much too early time, all participants gathered at Downsview and were divided up into 4 cars and off we went to the parking lot of the Mono Cliffs Provincial Park. Upon arrival, paying for parking ($7.25 for 4 hours), getting geared up and a short safety briefing, everyone was keen to get moving in an effort to warm up as it was very cold; much colder than in the city. We quickly realized that although it was a beautiful location, the ideal time to visit would be early fall when the leaves were changing; plans were then hatched to visit next year and then we went back to enjoying the hike underway. The weather started off great, but within an hour, the rain started and unfortunately, continued until the very end. There were many trail intersections en route making it somewhat difficult at times to figure out which direction to go. Between the maps in hand, the sparse maps on trail, and the GPS, we did manage to carve out a decent 15.1km hike. Average pace was 4.5km/hour. Unfortunately, at the end of the hike, we had 2 participants who did not wait at the final intersection for the group, and when we returned to the parking lot, they were not there. As we had reservations at the Mono Cliffs Inn, everyone who was able to went ahead, and the Coordinator's car waited behind for the guys to find their way back, which they did after about 30 minutes. Lesson learned --- follow the coordinator's safety instructions and wait at intersections; this could have been a much worse scenario! After everyone gathering for lunch, to be honest, most were less than impressed with the offerings and the prices; the lunch was very pricey and besides a few items on the menu, most offerings received tepid reviews. Another lesson learned; next time, choose a pub in town. As always, thanks to the drivers as without them, these out-of-town hikes could not happen. $17 was collected in voluntary donations.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.